Putnam brings a slice of Hollywood to Charleston

Scott Putnam has worked steadily in film and TV as a producer, production manager, actor, second unit director, assistant director, camera operator and electrical department technician.

His credits include a quartet of recently completed or in preproduction projects, including the films "Without Fear" (line producer), "Marble City" (line producer), "Running the Sahara" (supervising producer) and "The Lodger" (executive producer). He also served as line producer for two years on TV's "Survivor," is developing the feature "The Devil's Good Deed" to be directed by Giancarlo Esposito, and most recently was in the Palmetto State to shoot "Gospel Hill," starring Danny Glover, Samuel Jackson, Angela Bassett and Julia Stiles.

Putnam knows something about making movies. And he will share that expertise Saturday during a two-day series of filmmaking seminars at Trident Technical College. To be held Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the College Center at the Complex for Economic Development, the seminars also feature a Sunday appearance by Karen Marshall of Marshall Entertainment Insurance Inc., a company specializing in the insurance requirements of independent producers.

Other topics for the weekend seminars include production scheduling, insurance, script revisions, how to determine shooting days, call sheets, budgeting, rights and releases, and securing cast, crew and locations.

Meanwhile, the deadline to receive scripts at TTC for the S.C. Film Production Fund grant program has been extended to Sept. 10. The program was created "to develop collaborative projects in film, video and multimedia between motion-picture professionals and institutions of higher learning" in the state. As much as $300,000 in production grants will be awarded in 2009 between Trident Tech, the University of South Carolina and Clemson. The script deadline for USC and Clemson remains Oct. 30. Production Fund applicants are encouraged to attend the seminars, according to the S.C. Film Office in Columbia. The charge is $50 for South Carolina residents, $75 for nonresidents and free to students studying film production at S.C. colleges.

For more information and to preregister, contact Dargin Smith of the S.C. Film Commission at 803-737-0420 or Darginsmith@scprt.com.

Day-of seminar registration will be held 8:30-9 a.m. Saturday.

Reach Bill Thompson at bthompson@postandcourier.com or 937-5707.